In the Forest of Silence (for Cleverfox)

[Arenor]

Solen almost flinched when Orion reached out. But instead of wrapping around his throat, the hand settled into his hair with a distant warmth, almost but not quite a caress. It was enough to send an involuntary shudder through him. His shoulders tensed as if he might pull away. He almost tried it. All of his life he'd dealt with casual touch from humans, but this was different, intimate and terribly comfortable. He'd paused mid-breath without realizing it. After letting it out in a deep sigh, he dropped one of his knives and lifted that hand to stroke Orion's cheek. His calloused fingers were gentle but not hesitant, as if he was just curious at the texture of a shifter's skin.

Then Orion asked his terrible question and Solen dropped his hand as if he'd burned it. Body and soul? The former shocked him only because he hadn't expected it. But elves considered the soul to be sacred beyond the body or the transient life. To give that up? Even with his half-human blood, the thought disgusted and overwhelmed him. Mostly. A very small part of him, the part all tangled up with fear and desire for Orion, found the idea riveting.

He took a step back, then forward, caught in his internal thoughts. For the first time since he'd encountered this creature, he wanted to turn and run. His golden-green eyes darted uncertainly from the shifter to the tangle of shadowed trees. Silent trees. Nothing here could help him. But if he ran, Orion would most likely catch him and dispatch him with a casual slice of metal against his throat, leaving him for the carrion birds. His life would be over and he'd never learn anything more about this man.

But his soul would remain pure and undefiled by Orion's will.

Solen met his gaze as if he could determine his intent from its bottomless depths. But they remained opaque. All he could discern was that, for whatever reason, Orion seemed to take pleasure in tormenting him with this choice. Another hot shudder coursed through him at the thought, and he wasn't sure if he felt terror or desire or both. For a moment he despised himself almost enough to yield to his own death. How could he enjoy such things? These reactions weren't helping him to make a decision, either. Perhaps if he had a better idea of the shifter's offer.

"If I agreed to your terms, how would you treat me? I must know that first."

[CleverFox]

The fact that the halfling dared to raise a hand to touch him without any sort of invitation, not that he would have given such a thing, caused a low growl to rumble deep within the shifter's throat. It was a decidedly threatening sound and he was about to inform the man that if he wished to keep that appendage then he should keep it to himself however before those words escaped his lips the hand fell away, that apparently prompted by the question that he had posed. The shifter enjoyed shocking people and his earlier annoyance was dulled a bit as he watched the indecision playing across his face and mirrored in his movements.

It appeared as though he wasn't sure what to make of any of this and that amused Orion, one corner of his mouth twisting up into a smirk at that point. He didn't try to press for an answer and instead watched the internal struggle that was practically playing out like a scripted play across the halfling's eyes. Orion kept his own strange orbs focused on those eyes as the halfling fought with himself and that fact just seemed to make him even more intriguing given that most would have either accepted or declined right away and yet this one was different.

When the question of his treatment came into play Orion's smirk became even more pronounced as he said, "You will be mine to do with as I please but I can assure you that I will not kill nor will I maim you." It was the best that he was currently willing to offer but it was more than he was likely to get from any other potential prey that happened to notice his stalking and turned on him. Not that Orion was just going to let him saunter away after everything that he had learned, no it was either accept this deal that was being offered or else meet his fate at the end of Orion's claws.

In a matter of seconds he could shift to his leopard form and be on top of the halfling, tearing out his throat with claws and fangs, so there really weren't many options for him.

[Arenor]

"Ah, I see."

The weight of that answer settled over him. Suddenly, he couldn't bear the merciless eyes taking in his every move, not now, when he had such a difficult choice to make. He needed to escape Orion's cruel smile at least temporarily. He murmured "Please allow me a moment," and turned his back on Orion. He stalked a few paces to the nearest tree. A risky move, perhaps, but what could the shifter do? A bit of abrupt behavior wouldn't change this situation much. He wasn't planning on escaping into the forest or some other foolish attempt, not with the shifter's watchful eye on him. No, he needed this time to face things rationally, even if for just a moment. There were several problems to consider.

'Kill nor maim,' left out a great deal of possibilities. But he could live with all of them, if he must. Best not to dwell on the particulars of that. Then he had Brendan to consider. His brother, the head of the 'illustrious' guild of information gathering. Sooner or later he would find out about this. Either one of his operatives would see him and Orion together, or Brendan would presume him killed and send other spies out in this general direction. That could lead to a great deal of unpleasant consequences, and not just for himself. Although a situation like this would give Brendan an excuse to consider him a traitor and have him killed. Truthfully, his fully human brother had never liked him. They dealt with one another as courteously as possible considering the circumstances of their childhood. His elven blood was a constant reminder of their mother's infidelity, and the eventual breakup of the family. Now it was his turn to follow her example.

He grasped out for a tree branch to lean on. Its rough, damp bark gave no real comfort, it was like cold flesh beneath his fingers. For several moments he stood motionless next to the tree, settling with his thoughts, fears, and desires. Then he stood up straight and walked back over to the shape shifter.

Solen held up his remaining knife and let it slip to the ground, then held his empty hands open in a stiff gesture symbolizing his choice.

"I, Solen Aranel, yield myself to you," he said, "In exchange for my life."

He lifted his head with narrowed eyes and a bit of steel in the set of his jaw. "Know this, shape shifter. I am not broken nor am I weak, simply because I yield to you. I am neither of those things. I hope you do not expect them from me."

[CleverFox]

Orion was well aware of the fact that what he was asking was a steep price to pay and one that most would not accept but that was sort of the point of it as far as the leopard was concerned. If the truth were to be told perhaps Orion was hoping that the halfling would refuse the offer and give him an excuse to slit his throat and leave the corpse for the carrion animals but even though he had thought about it the shifter didn't have the usual desire to kill. Which was strange in and of itself with him since he was usually the kill first and don't bother to ask questions type but for the moment at least the halfling had been spared from that.

To what point and purpose the shifter had himself yet to figure out but as the halfling asked for a moment nad then stepped away Orion's predatory instincts once again flared, mainly because the foolish boy had turned his back on him. Which was of course something that one should never do with a predator, even one in the guise of a human, but because he was so old Orion was able to beat back those instincts. A younger shifter would have killed the boy and not had a second thought about it but having lived countless lifetimes Orion wasn't quite as impulsive.

Orion looked over at the halfling as he seemed to try to gather his thoughts and if Orion hadn't known better he would have sworn that he could hear the gears in his mind turning. An amused smirk played across the shifter's face at that point, Orion barely resisting the urge to chuckle as he waited for the halfling to make his decision, which was really a matter of life or death whether the other male knew that or not. The mercurial eyes once again fell on the boy as he walked back over to him, standing as straight as was humanly possible.

"Good choice," Orion said when the halfling said that he yielded however it was Orion's turn to narrow his eyes when the halfling went on to say that he was neither broken nor weak, the leopard almost taking that as a challenge. "Do not test me boy or else you will find yourself both," he said, his tone calm but his words having an ominous ring to them since he meant what he was saying and he was not one to be tempted nor tested as it made his animalistic nature come out in full force.

Orion wasn't sure how well that warning would go over but at the same time if the halfling, who had introduced himself as Solen, was foolish enough to tempt fate then he was going to find himself on the receiving end of a very sharp set of claws. A fact that he should keep in mind before picking a fight that had in essence already been lost at this point.

Whether he was smart enough to realize that was the only true unknown in the equation.

[Arenor]

Solen's hands tensed, curling into fists at his sides until the fingernails bit his palms. He found it difficult to maintain calm, even a facade of calm, with his new master looming over him. This stranger from legend who now held a tether to his will. The forest around him looked too sharp yet soft, out of focus, and he kept sensing the build up of predatory instincts in Orion. The same weakened ability had allowed him to catch sight of the shifter's leopard form. Now, he almost wanted to batter at that predatory tension until it exploded at him. Perhaps his own despair pushed him toward that edge. His mind already tasted of blood, why not paint the forest of silence with his own? At least now he knew he wouldn't die.

His eyes hardened and dulled, more like a pair of yellow stones than their usual shifting leaf-like ambiance. "I am not testing you. Unless you consider the truth a threat, shifter." Each word held a knife's edge in its tone. "Must I yield to you twice? I'm no threat to a creature of your abilities. But, neither shall I throw myself at your feet, begging for mercy. You would not have the slightest interest in me if I did such things."

The words spilled out of him, fired by the uncertainty of his position and, although he wouldn't have admitted it at the moment, fear. He couldn't know what his future held or how much suffering and humiliation a slave to a shifter might have to endure. Half tempted and half-disgusted by his thoughts, he had to tempt fate a little just to prove that he hadn't submitted out of weakness. He'd rarely felt aggressive in his life, although he'd managed his way through a brawl or two, but now he wanted to dart forward and give Orion a shove. It took all of his self control not to do so, but his body's posture was like a taut bow string and its tension could be read easily.

[CleverFox]

It seemed as though this halfling named Solen had more guts that Orion had originally given him credit for and that was a point of both annoyance and oddly enough interest on the part of the shifter. Fixing his mercurial eyes on the other male as he said that it wasn't testing him but rather the truth, the shifter arching a brow at the remarks that were being made and it seemed to him as though he were going to have to give Solen a lesson on just what his place happened to be. "You will yield to me as many times as I require," he said in a matter of fact tone of voice, the aura surrounding the shifter seeming almost to flare and it could definitely be felt if not seen. It was a definite display of power as well as a threat, barely veiled though it was.

"We will leave now and return to my stonghold...where I believe the first lesson shall be on obedience and subservience," Orion told him, having already made the plans to 'train' his new pet. It wasn't going to be the sort of training that anyone would wish to undergo but of course the point of it wasn't to be pleasant but rather to teach a lesson, or multiple lessons as was the case with Solen. The leopard shifter had every intention of making sure that he turned this halfling into an acceptable pet now that he had gone to the trouble of sparing his life.

Whether that would turn out to be a good decision on his part or a bad one was yet to be seen however Orion was already thinking that if he ever deemed this to be a bad decision then there would be hell to pay for the halfling. So it would be in Solen's best interests to keep the leopard placated but that was something that Orion didn't come out and say, deciding that he would just allow that one to be learned the hard way. Because of his own background Orion was of the opinion that learning things the hard way was the best manner since the lessons tended to stick longer when that was the case.

Or at least that was the way that he was looking at it.

Without looking back to see if Solen was following him the shifter turned and started walking deeper into the forest. He trusted that the halfling would follow now that he had given his word since such things were not taken lightly by most people and he had the impression that honor would be important to this one. Of course he could be wrong about that but it was the basis that he was operating under, at least until he was proven wrong on that regard.

[Arenor]

Solen felt the shift in Orion's aura. As a half-human, he sometimes perceived auras as visual hallucinations, striking but misleading. This one seethed like a dozen shades of sunset as it flared. He couldn't help but reach out with his own senses to taste the danger of it. Now, he would know another shape shifter if he ever came near to one. But that was a distant note. His thoughts were caught up with this one creature, ablaze in terrible beauty in the midst of the the colorless forest. It took him a moment to read the change as it was meant, a warning. He took a physical step back as if to break the vision's hold on him.

His posture still held some wariness, but not as much as a moment ago. He'd barely heard the shifter's actual words. Something about submitting to him over and over. After that display of color he was a bit too stunned to reply with a sharp answer or an ironic one. He swallowed hard and chose simple words, true ones after all. What choice did he have but to yield to him.

"As you wish...my lord?" he said, uncertain of how to address him. The shifter hadn't offered his name. If their species called themselves by such things.

Then, Orion spoke of returning to his keep for most unpleasant-sounding training. Obedience he could manage if he must, but subservience? Solen suspected that would be a difficult task both for the shifter to teach or for him to learn. His will held a certain flexible strength, too much so to behave in such a manner. Perhaps he could simply make a pretense of yielding in that regard. Of course, part of him found even that prospect intriguing. He would never admit such a thing to Orion, never, he thought, never. He blushed humanly at the mere thought of doing so.

He didn't expect the shifter to turn and leave with such abruptness. It left him alone haloed in the shadows with only halfhearted thoughts at escape for company. Banishing these shadows, he struck out after Orion, pacing along the ground with the silent practice of a tracker. It was true, he valued the honor of his word, although he rarely gave it. Otherwise he felt that honor and truth did not befit all situations. As a spy, he'd been capable of much deception. His manner seemed quite the opposite, which helped him appear believable when he needed to play such a role. But, he had indeed given his word, preserving his life but selling it at a high price. Reluctance dragged at him like the shadow flashing along the ground behind him. Still, he followed without a word.

[CleverFox]

Orion was actually almost pleased when his flaring aura and the words that accompanied it managed to get the halfling's attention and seemed to let him know just how dangerous it was for him to push the shifter in this moment. He did not really tolerate other beings well, interacting with them typically only when the situation was absolutely unavoidable or when he stood to gain something from it. In this case it was more likely the latter but just what he served to gain was something that the leopard was still attempting to figure out.

Hearing the question at the end of Solen's words Orion looked at him for a moment before he said, "Orion...Orion Laurent." Of course the last name was simply one that he had given to himself but his given name was true enough. He wasn't sure who it was that had given it to him since he didn't see his parents deeming it necessary to name him considering that they had loathed his very existence but at the same time he tried not to dwell on such things. So he simply offered his name and then went on to inform Solen of just what he had to look forward to now that he had for all intents and purposes sold himself.

Having no way of knowing what measure of thoughts were going through the head of the other Orion simply turned and started to walk away, trusting that the halfling would follow him considering that he had given his word. Should it come to pass that he had been less than honest and honorable then the shifter would simply track him down and at that point all bargains were null and void. It didn't seem as though such was going to be the case in this instance however since he could hear the barely perceptible footfalls behind him, his sensitive hearing picking up that which mere human ears would assuredly miss.

Deciding on a change of appearance Orion concentrated for a moment before allowing his ears and tail to appear, attached to his more human form and giving him an exotic look. His long tail, the same length as his body just like any true leopard, swished behind him as he walked along, making his way through the forest and toward his stronghold. It didn't take long to reach the imposing stone building, Orion leading the way inside and turning to face Solen as he stood in the entryway of what appeared to be a surprisingly comfortable dwelling, at least on the inside.

"Now your training is going to begin immediately and for your sake I hope that you are a quick study," Orion told him, his tone calm and cold as always.

Even though he was displaying outward indifference Orion was actually looking forward to introducing the halfling to just what he had in store for him. He liked for people to think that he was cruel and h was fairly certain that Solen would think just that before all was said and done but then again, he could always be wrong about that. He wasn't psychic after all and he did judge people wrong from time to time even though he was a fairly good judge of character for the simple fact that he had been alive long enough to learn to read people the hard way.

[Arenor]

Orion Laurent. Solen repeated the name to himself as he ghosted the shifter's footsteps. Even to a half-elf, those two words held mystery as well as elegance. They didn't hint at the man's power or cruelty. He found himself glancing up at the overcast sky in search of the star cluster Orion. Even with his attention elsewhere, he could follow his new master, as his preternatural senses tracked far better than his eyes alone. But soon he turned his gaze back to the half-rotted leaves and bracken. No star had shone from beneath the clouds, perhaps later tonight he might seek them again. Assuming he was capable of going anywhere. Although he tried not to imagine the particulars, he expected cruel or at least severe 'training' from Orion.

After some time on the path, the half-elf sensed a difference in the terrain just before Orion's keep appeared. Wood yielded to stone and vine. Shadows gathered in the entryway but bits and pieces of a comfortable room could just be glimpsed inside. All and all, he was intrigued by the dwelling, and shocked at its place within the forest of silence. He'd been twice the fool to follow a predator into its own lair. He also couldn't help but feel uneasy at the thought of living in this accursed land. Nightmares would follow him into sleep, no doubt. As usual with him, though, curiosity and interest won out over his other concerns.

Then Orion turned around. His breath caught a bit as he viewed the shifter in yet another form--no, a combination of the human and leopard appearances. His eyes drifted slowly from the furred ears to the tail, admiring these attributes that he'd once imagined about shifters, when he'd been only a child left to his own devices. But the mild pleasure hardened in his eyes when Orion spoke. He answered in a voice as calm and measured as the shifter's own. He offered an elegant bow in the style of the elves.

"What do you require of me, Orion Laurent? I am yours, as you know."

A bit of sardonic humor slipped into the last bit despite himself.

[CleverFox]

While Orion hadn't been the one to actually start the rumors about the forest of silence but at the same time he hadn't done anything to dissuade them either and had on occasion actually lent fuel to the proverbial fire as it were. Mainly because he didn't want to deal with anyone and found that this was the easiest way to keep would be annoyances at bay. For the most part it had been successful, at least until today when the halfling had decided to actually track him into the forest. Now whether he was ignorant of the legends and lore of the place or had just chosen to ignore it was anyone's guess but regardless of reason he was now stuck with him.

The leopard having acquired a pet when he had never really sought to have one.

But truthfully he was intrigued by the halfling and so was going to keep him around, for how long that was going to be the case was anyone's guess really. Once they reached his stronghold he lead the way inside, turning to look at the halfling and smirking as he was given a bow and then asked what was required of him. "First of all I require that you call me Master and second...well we shall get to that, come with me," Orion said, his tone once again calm as he gazed at his new pet and then gestured for him to follow along.

Once again it was a test to see if the halfling was going to follow him even though he had no way of telling where it was that the shifter was leading.

Or just what he was going to find at the end of that path.